Rice urges cooperation during European visit

PARIS -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice took the argument over American ideals and influence to her European critics' door Tuesday, and urged cooperation to move beyond disagreements over the war in Iraq.

"It is time to open a new chapter in our relationship and a new chapter in our alliance," Rice told Paris' Institute of Political Studies as she defended the Bush administration's foreign policy in hostile territory.

France was the most vocal opponent of President Bush's handling of the Iraq war, and Rice did not engender any goodwill in his first term when she said the United States should "punish France, ignore Germany and forgive Russia" for their opposition to the invasion.

Rice chose Paris for the major address of her first tour of Europe as America's chief diplomat to try to turn the page. She also took questions.

"America stands ready to work with Europe on our common agenda, and Europe must stand ready to work with America," she said.

She did not back down from Bush's call last month in his inauguration speech to spread freedom across the globe, a challenge perceived as arrogant or naive on some European opinion pages.

"History will surely judge us not by our old disagreements but by our new achievements," Rice said.

Rice, on the job just two weeks, did not directly address criticism of the Iraq war but repeatedly pointed to what she called the bravery of Iraqi voters who turned out for elections last month despite threats of terrorism.

"I know it looks really hard to talk about the spread of freedom and liberty into places where it has never been," Rice said in response to a question about why she chose Paris for her address.

"I know it looks really hard, when we see the pictures from Iraq of the suicide bombers, to think that the Iraqi people are going to build a free and stable democratic state," she said.

Rice's French counterpart, Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, later delivered double-edged thanks. After meeting with Rice, Barnier told reporters, "It's time to get off to a new start," but he added that "alliance is not the same as allegiance."

"Let me say loud and clear that the world is a better place when Americans and Europeans work together," Barnier said, "while respecting one another's particular views and sensibilities."

Barnier also said that France, Britain and Germany still think their joint diplomacy is the right approach to dissuade Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapon. "We need American support and confidence," he said.

The United States has not joined the European effort, which some U.S. officials have privately described as coddling the Iranian government.

Barnier's comments were a reminder of France's frustration that Bush went to war in Iraq despite vociferous opposition here and elsewhere in Europe.

Foundation Nationale des Sciences Politiques, known in France as Sciences Po, is an elite and left-leaning political science academy. A large swath of French political and intellectual leaders are graduates, and some were in the audience of about 500 on Tuesday.

Sciences Po has been at the center of the debate over America's reach and power in Iraq and elsewhere around the world, as Rice acknowledged with a smile.

"France has a great tradition of debate, of intellectual ferment," said Rice, herself a former Stanford University academic.

"This is a wonderful institution that fosters that debate. And it is no secret that the United States and France have sometimes disagreed in the past about how to proceed on a common agenda," she said.

Francois Rachline, the economics professor who asked Rice why she came to Paris, called her courageous.

Jean-Paul Fitoussi, also an economics professor, said Rice delivered a "profound speech on the opening that Europe and the United States can take together."

Former French President Valery Giscard d'Estaing mentioned a different attitude and partnership with Europe. "It's an improvement," he said.

In her speech, Rice said the founders of both the French and U.S. republics were inspired by the same values -- freedom, democracy and human dignity -- and by each other.

Rice began her day in Italy, a U.S. ally in Iraq, and ended it with meetings and dinner with French leaders. She has two more days of meetings with European leaders this week to complete a trip meant to mend European fences and gauge prospects for Middle East peace.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas promised Tuesday to halt all acts of violence, a day after Rice left the region.

"The parties are going to need everyone's help," Rice said at her press conference with Barnier. "We have had many opportunities before that did not end in peace."